Community Group Tackles Gang Graffiti

A community group best known for taking a stand against high-density housing is taking on graffiti abatement in Novato to make a statement against gang activity.

Toni Shroyer, a member of the and chair of the group’s crime committee, said volunteer efforts to paint over gang graffiti is a proactive approach that “shows that Novato is committed, is passionate, about keeping our town safe and beautiful.”

The efforts of Citzens for Balanced Housing are being supported by the city’s maintenance department, which has scheduled a graffiti abatement meeting for volunteers from 5-6 p.m. March 2 at the training room. The meeting will cover graffiti abatement operations and removal techniques.

She said graffiti on city property is usually handled quickly by the city staff, but the responsiblity falls on a property owner when it happens on private structures. So the group is concentrating its efforts on getting permission from private property owners whose buildings or fences have been tagged to get rid of the graffiti.

“So far we have knocked on private homeowner’s doors and asked the homeowner if we can paint,” Shroyer said. “Some people are incapacitated or working late or don’t have the money.  So far nobody has said no to us.”

The group has received donations of paint from and individual donors.

Shroyer, sometimes with her two young children, carries a notebook and has the kids help note whenever they spot graffiti. “I talk to them about the importance of being involved,” Shroyer said.

Sgt. Earl Titman of Novato police has been involved in monitoring gang activity and graffiti for almost 20 years. He said statistics show the number of reported graffiti incidents is only up 1 percent over the past three years, but public awareness has gone up a lot as housing issues have become a hot topic at civic meetings.

"It comes in cycles," Titman said of gang activity and graffiti. "We can work on finding out who is the leader and work on taking care of them. ... One thing people might not know is that arrests for graffiti have gone up over 55 percent over the same three-year time period. We're pretty confident with the investigations unit being able to identify and properly deal with them through the court system."

Titman said tagging is like bragging or marking one's territory, and "some consider themselves artists and it's a trademark of their ability. On the other side of graffiti, you have the gang stuff, which is all about fear and intimidation. If there's a bit of a rivalry going on with two sets of gangs, you try to get a handle on it with help of other agencies."

Novato Police Chief Joseph Kreins said reports of graffiti are on the uptick because public awareness is also rising.

“Now you have certain people calling four, five and six times a day, so the numbers have gone up,” he said. “That’s definitely a good thing because more awareness gives us an opportunity to get on these cases quicker and identify trends on whether they’re gang-related or not. We’ve been able to identify people by their various monikers, including kids in schools and kids on probation.”

More coordination between citizens, the police and the city’s public works department is resulting in more accurate records and faster removal of graffiti, Kreins said. “It used to be that sometimes it was painted over without ever being reported,” he said.

Shroyer says she that she has learned how to decode the various gang markings through gang awareness meetings she has attended.

“Anything one person can do, such as graffiti abatement or talking to your kids about gangs, shows awareness, concern and commitment to our community,” Shroyer said.

She said that despite budget cuts to the Novato Police Department, officers have caught and arrested taggers — some with gang affiliation and some without. Residents can help by reporting graffiti using police's online reporting system.

Sometimes the tagging occurs in the same spot it's been painted over, but Shroyer said that won’t discourage the group's efforts.

“It seems certain areas are repeatedly tagged, but we’ll keep painting over until they get the message,” Shroyer said, “and until the police can catch them.”

Shroyer is inviting all interested individuals and groups to the March 2 meeting, even those who don’t necessarily share the group’s views on the affordable housing issues. After the meeting, volunteers will be kept informed by e-mail about participating on graffiti abatement work teams.

“A lot of people feel helpless about the (recent) gang activity,” Shroyer said. “This makes you feel good, like you’re part of the solution.”